EC replaces DEO after E Kameng violence

ITANAGAR: Election Commission has replaced East Kameng district election officer (DEO) Tarin Dakpe and appointed election officer Sandeep Kumar Singh in his place following post-poll violence there.

Dakpe was replaced yesterday after he himself pleaded to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for his replacement on Friday, election office sources said here today.

IGP (Law and order) Satyendra Garg who air-dashed to Seppa here with Singh yesterday, reviewed the law and order situation and advised Singh to discharge his duties impartially.

Garg today said the situation in the district headquarters worsened following the attack on district's DRDA project director Kego Jelien in front of the DEO officer on Friday and the administration failed to tackle it.

While Jilen was airlifted in a critical condition to Itanagar for treatment in the late afternoon, additional forces have been sent to the district for preventing escalation of law and order problems.

Meanwhile, the electronics voting machines (EVMs) from various polling booths were received and sealed in 17 strong rooms yesterday.

The retrieval of EVMs of Kurung Kumey district depended on materialization of air sorties, Nirvachan Bhawan sources said.

Reports received so far indicated that re-polling is likely in about 24 polling stations in East Kameng, Upper Subansiri, Kurung Kumey, West and East Siang districts, the sources added.